“Jumia Women Inspiring change”
On the last day of celebrating the awesome women in Ecommerce making a change and inspiring with their roles. We feature one of the most hardworking woman you can meet and very much a strategist as well. She manages a very large team in our operations.
Imagine E-commerce without Operations? Not possible.. Operations is a key part of what Ecommerce is built around and Gbemi Omolokun is one of that has helped with structuring that in the Ecommerce space in Nigeria.
Today Meet Gbemi Omolokun as she tells us about her career journey so far and how she inspires with her role as the Head of Inbound at Jumia Nigeria.
Can You tell us about your background?
Name is Gbemi Omolokun, I was born here in Lagos but grew in the Northern part of the country. I am married and have two sons. I studied Theater Arts in the University of Abuja and yes i tried my hands at acting but the oga at the top wouldn’t have it so i switched to Customer service.
My Role in Jumia and A typical day at work?
Started off here at Jumia in July 2012 in the Customer Service Department, was made the Order management manager 6 months later, another 3 months rolled by and i was asked to head the Inbound team which is what i’ve done for the last year. Apart from being the head of the Inbound team, i also act as the Imports Specialist for Jumia Nigeria, ensuring our international buys/orders are brought in and also responsible for sourcing the packaging materials we use for our deliveries. My job is in core operations and is warehouse based.
Major Challenges I face working in a fast growing industry like Ecommerce?
The major challenge for me is creating the ideal work life balance between work and the home. There are so many challenges to be faced every day, having to deal with a myriad of vendors, suppliers and colleagues but I find that a good easy going outlook on life, being ready for anything(because believe me I have seen it all here) coupled with a firm resolve to deal with the tasks at hand and every situation as it comes, helps in resolving these issues. I take it all on a day to day basis because apart from the Industry being new and fast growing, its also uncharted waters here in Nigeria. So i depend on a lot of guidance from the other sister ventures and some of my colleagues that have had the opportunity to work in eCommerce in other Countries to achieve my set goals. I’m never afraid to listen, learn and try new things.
My motivation and How it helps me achieve my career goals..
My motivation comes from knowing my WHY??? Why am I here? what do I want to achieve and how can I achieve this? Looking ahead to my end game keeps me focused on my goal to be successful in this enterprise and this is the motivating force that drives me. I have a very ‘customercentric’ mindset because of the years I spent working in Customer Service. The customer is King, everything i do has a ripple effect on my customer’s order. If the items don’t arrive from the suppliers on time, If The item is not correctly labeled, If the item is rough or dirty at my station then it is certain the customer’s satisfaction is dicey because i haven’t done my part well.
The typical Nigerian working class woman and my Advise to Nigerian women.
The typical working class Nigerian woman is very hardworking! She gets up early, takes care of her family, works hard at her tasks in the office, stops by the grocery store or market on her way home, gets home and straight into the kitchen, house chores, attends to the family, cleans up, gives the man of the house some TLC, finally goes to bed, wakes up in the morning and starts the day all over again 🙂 She’s also very fashionable and enlightened, ready to take on challenges and lead when called upon. Most importantly, the Nigerian woman is a prayer warrior irrespective of her religion or creed. She takes each day as a battle she has to win and ensures she uses all the power within her arsenal to win.
The only constant in life is Change, always be ready to take on new things and excel at them. Take a breather every once in a while, go to the Spa, get a long exhilarating massage, go to the cinema with your girlfriends, put your feet up in your living room and relax or take a trip. Whichever avenue you choose… just enjoy being a woman!
To catch up with Gbemi Find her on Linkedin
Interview done by Aisha Aribume and Afam Anyika
This article was written by Olamide Amosu